Minsk theatrical spaces

Tatiana KaraliovaMinsk theatrical spaces

The capital of Belarusian theatre

In Minsk there are about fifteen theatres – more than in any other Belarusian city. Still, some of them are being renovated and their spectacles are either performed on other stages or have been cancelled. What is more, some theatre teams do not have their own stage at all, they are condemned to wander around from one place to another occasionally disappearing to appear again before their audience.

Considering the biggest drama theaters – the Academic Theater named after Janka Kupała and the Academic Drama Theater named after Gorky bear the status of national theatres. Both of them present their spectacles on two stages: the grand stage and the small one. It is also the Republican Theatre of Belarusian Drama and the Republican Theatre for Young Audience that can also pride themselves on two stages. The spectacles are in Belarusian and Russian languages. Some theatres (e.g. the Academic Theater named after Janka Kupała, the Republican Theatre of Belarusian Drama, “Znicz”) perform only in Belarusian language, the others (the Drama Theater named after Gorky, the Youth Theatre, the Theatre – Studio of Film Actor) produce their spectacles in Russian, the audience can also find theaters performing in both languages: the Republican Theatre for Young Audience or the National Puppet Theatre.

… Kupałowski Theatre (this short name referrs to the Academic Theater named after Janka Kupała founded in 1920 which makes it the oldest theater in Belarus) and the Puppet Theatre belong to the best Minsk theatres.

Eric XIV and the Diary of the Madman

… Something like one year ago Anatolij Kot and Monika Dobrowlańska presented their one-actor-performance called “Diary of the Madman” by Gogol on stage of the Theatre – Studio of Film Actor. Gogol’s main character – Popriščin, a titular councilor, – was shown as an emigrant from Eastern Europe, a minor official working in one of Berlin offices. Popriščin studies German, works using modern office equipment and dreams to move up the career ladder in future. He does his best to organize his work. He observes his superior with caution, slightly secretly, and watches the backs of the books placed on the shelves with due care and attention. He even dares to glance admirably at the director’s daughter. Still, very soon a funny event completely changes the character’s life. He accidentally overhears the talk of two dogs, one of which belongs to the director’s daughter and steals their letters. The dog correspondence makes his eyes open wide. It turns out that the director’s daughter is in love with somebody else, what is more, her whole family just keeps on mocking at Popriščin. From now on Popriščin begins to change himself. He fantasizes to be the king of Spain. He makes himself lose his common sense step by step. In mental asylum his suffering consciousness begins, more and more persistently, to whisper him words in his native language Popriščin suffers recalling his mother and native country. In his prayers, directed nowhere, he asks for the salvation of his lost soul.

A great role of Anatolij Kot. We watch a tiny official pressing the computer buttons and reading the dog correspondence. The actor plays close to the audience which makes is possible to watch his facial expression with details. In the last scenes the audience can see real madness in his eyes.